Indoor Unit Air Guide Structure for Uniform Heat Exchanger Airflow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing ceiling-embedded type air conditioner indoor units suffer from reduced heat transfer performance due to non-uniform air distribution across the height of the heat exchanger, leading to decreased cooling capacity, increased noise, and higher fan power consumption, and the proposed solutions either fail to uniformly guide air or require costly and complex mounting structures.
Innovation Solution
A compact and inexpensive guide member with a linear cross-sectional shape is positioned below the blower fan's discharge port and upstream of the heat exchanger to direct air flow uniformly across the heat exchanger's height, preventing swirling flows and ensuring even air distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a flow path expansion member with large-sized and complicated shape is used to spread air flow, then air distribution is improved, but mounting space is required and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path expansion member is divided into a first member and a second member that can be assembled together. The first member includes a first expansion portion with a first cross-sectional area, and the second member includes a second expansion portion with a second cross-sectional area. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing and assembly while achieving the desired air flow spreading effect without requiring a single complex large-sized component.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow path expansion member utilizes dimensional progression by arranging the first and second expansion portions in sequence along the air flow direction. The cross-sectional area increases progressively from the first to the second expansion portion, creating a stepped dimensional transition that gently spreads the air flow without requiring a single complicated large-sized structure.
2Productivity
If air volume is increased to compensate for reduced cooling capacity, then cooling capacity is restored, but noise and fan power increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path expansion member acts as an intermediary component between the blower fan and the heat exchanger. It gently spreads the air flow discharged from the fan before it reaches the heat exchanger, improving heat transfer performance. This allows the system to achieve adequate cooling capacity with lower fan power and reduced noise by optimizing the air distribution rather than simply increasing overall air volume.
3Device complexity
If the discharge port height is half the heat exchanger height, then fan structure is simplified, but heat transfer performance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path expansion member serves as an intermediary that bridges the height difference between the simplified fan discharge port (half the heat exchanger height) and the full-height heat exchanger. By progressively expanding the cross-sectional area through the first and second expansion portions, it guides air to uniformly cover the entire heat exchanger surface, maintaining heat transfer performance while preserving fan structure simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution addresses the height dimension mismatch by introducing dimensional expansion in the flow path expansion member. The first and second expansion portions create a progressive dimensional transition from the lower discharge port height to the full heat exchanger height, enabling uniform air distribution across the entire heat exchanger surface without complicating the fan structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances heat transfer performance by uniformly guiding air across the heat exchanger's height, improving cooling capacity while reducing noise and fan power consumption, and offers cost and space savings through a simplified design.
Implementation Method 1
the guide member has a guide portion disposed to face an end surface upstream of the heat exchanger, and the guide portion has a linear cross-sectional shape parallel to the end surface when cut along a plane including a rotation axis of the blower fan
Implementation Method 2
cools the sucked air by a heat exchanger during cooling
Data Source
AI summary
An indoor unit of an air conditioner includes a guide member provided below an air discharge port of a blower fan and upstream of the heat exchanger. The guide member has a guide portion disposed to face an end surface upstream of the heat exchanger, and the guide portion is a plate body whose cross-section has a linear shape parallel to the end surface when cut along a plane including a rotation axis of the blower fan. Thus, provided is the indoor unit of the air conditioner capable of more uniformly guiding air from the blower fan in a height direction of the heat exchanger by the compact and inexpensive guide member.